These are the 4 best sound bars you can buy

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During a product demonstration I recently attended, I was told one of the most common reasons TVs are returned is because of blown-out speakers.

This makes sense; we want TVs to get thinner, while continuing to produce loud, clear sound. Unfortunately that doesn't work well with the laws of physics, so a lot of people crank up these less powerful speakers and blow them out.

Stereo systems have been around for decades, but until recently they've been pretty inconvenient. Their bulk and abundance of wires ultimately made them more of an enthusiast's purchase rather than a standard one.

Sound bars are leveling the playing field. Even a surround sound setup is possible to achieve without having to turn your living room, basement, or bedroom into a Best Buy.

The recommendations below are for people who have different goals and budgets, and come from either personal experience, or that have been reviewed positively. This guide will continue to be updated as newer options become available, and while all the products on this list are solid, I've surfaced any recurring complaints that owners of them seem to have.

The budget solution: VIZIO SB2920-C6

Sure this is last year's model, but if you don't care about having Google Cast support, this entry level sound bar from Vizio should suit you just fine. It's a 2.0 sound bar, so if you're looking for a true surround-sound solution, this won't be for you. That said, it's also the smallest (physically) sound bar on this list, so if you're looking to up your home theater game without taking up too much space, this would be ideal.

Like I mentioned earlier, this sound bar doesn't have Google Cast built-in, but it can be used wirelessly as a Bluetooth speaker. If your TV is located in a central part of your house or apartment, you can certainly use this sound bar as a wireless stereo system. In terms of connectivity this one is pretty sparse; you can connect it to your TV or receiver through an optical audio cable, and any other device through two auxiliary ports. The big recurring complaint with it is that it doesn't turn on and off automatically when turning your TV on or off.

Yes, it's bare bones, but that's why it's our budget pick. For under $100 you get a good-looking sound bar that can deliver better sound than your TV, without taking up too much room.
If you're looking for a little more oomph without breaking the bank. it does come in a slightly larger size, both are listed below.

The budget pick with ample bass: VIZIO SB3821-C6

A step-up from my base recommendation, a 2.1 sound bar system would be ideal for those who still want to save space, but want some more bass. It has the same inputs, looks the same, and won't take up too much more space. The "wireless" subwoofer does need to be connected to power, so do keep that in mind. The only recurring fault people have with this soundbar is that the bass can get a little too bassy, even when turned down. Producing a lot of bass is the subwoofer's job, but if you live above neighbors and have thin walls, it's definitely something to consider.

The surround-sound soundbar: VIZIO SB3851-C0

If you've got the space and desire to get a surround-sound sound bar system, once again Vizio has you covered. The sound bar itself looks identical to its 2.0 and 2.1 siblings, but it's fleshed out with a subwoofer and two satellite speakers.

Like the other Vizio sound bars on this list, this one can also be used as a Bluetooth speaker — in this case a pretty powerful one. If you're worried about a mess of wires across your floor when setting up the rear speakers, Vizio made a very clever design choice; the rear speakers can be plugged directly into the wireless subwoofer. This gives you a lot more freedom when considering how you want to set up your room, and is way more convenient than having to plug everything into the sound bar directly. The connections on this sound bar are identical to those on the other Vizio sound bar I recommended: an optical audio output, two sets of auxiliary inputs (one of which can be used for the rear speakers), and analog out.

If you're looking to get a 5.1 surround sound system in a smaller form factor, this set from Vizio is a safe bet. Again, the only recurring complaint I could find is that it's bass heavy whether the subwoofer cranked up or turned down low. I'm going to be reviewing Vizio's 2016 surround-sound sound bar system soon, and this post will be updated accordingly.

The high-end option: Sony HTNT5

I had the pleasure of hearing a brief demo of the Sony HTNT5 recently and ultimately came away impressed. Sony has created this sound bar to sound just as good when listening to music as it does when watching a movie. The biggest emphasis was placed on being able to play high-resolution audio and support 4K video pass through. So if you've got a 4K Blu-ray player, you can plug it directly into the sound bar and connect the sound bar to your TV through HDMI without any visual degradation. Instead of a traditional remote, the HTNT5 is controlled using an app that's available on iOS and Android, so you don't have to worry about keeping AAA batteries on hand.

In terms of connectivity, this is definitely the most fully featured sound bar on this list.
It has three HDMI inputs, an analog audio input, and one HDMI output; this is great if you'd prefer using the sound bar to manage your devices rather than your TV. By default this is a 2.1 sound bar setup, but Sony does have a couple of wireless satellite speakers that sync with the main bar for full 5.1 surround sound. Those same satellite speakers can also be synced with a phone and used as portable Bluetooth speakers.

This is a compact, high-end sound system. The music playback I heard was excellent, and the app used to control this sound bar looked both powerful and easy to use. My favorite feature is that you can mount this sound bar on your wall and it'll recalibrate to sound great.

If you're someone with collection of Blu-ray movies and high-resolution audio you'll be happy picking one up.

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